Are you going on a trip, what should you take with you?

Stand at the airport near the stand and nervously trying to shift some stuff in hand baggage. Sounds familiar? Then this article is for you. In this article, we will talk about what you need to take with you on a trip, and what is better to leave at home.

Money and documents

The most important things that you need to take with you on a trip are documents and money. Agree it is not cool to come to the airport and find that you forgot your passport at home. And to travel without money is not so easy. Therefore, the following list could be classified as an important category.

Passport + photocopy and/or scan (just in case)
Health insurance
Hotel vouchers
Tickets/printed boarding pass
Driving license
Bank cards
Cash — you shouldn’t take a lot of cash, it can be unsafe, but also you shouldn’t trust credit cards completely, not always and everywhere you can use them.
Electronics

The next category is electronics

Cell Phone — well everything is clear here
Camera — you should know your own strength, whether you can hang around with a bulky camera or camera on your phone will be enough?
Laptop — take only if you need it badly, for example, you work remotely and you need it for your job
Power bank — is a very useful item in the travel
Be sure to charge all electronic devices before going on a trip and don’t forget to bring charging for them

And here is the list of stuff I would recommend to leave at home:

Hair dryer — it can be found in most hotels and hostels
Hair straightener / сurling iron — this item concerns ladies, think about whether you need these things so much or on you can stay on holiday without them
Iron — I advise you to take crease-resistant clothing and fold it so that it does not crumple. In an extreme case, the iron can always be found on the spot.
Kettle — even the smallest road kettle takes a lot of space, so if possible, leave it at home. Then again if you stay in a hostel or hotel, it is quite possible to find it there.

Medicines

A medical kit is a very important thing on a trip. The usual medicines sometimes are not so easy to find abroad, and in some countries, even a simple painkiller is difficult to buy without a prescription. Therefore, all the necessary should be taken with you.

Painkillers
Stomach pills
Headache pills
Cold remedies
Antiseptic (especially if you are going to the countries of the 3rd world)
Antipyretic
Anti-motion sickness pills
Patch
If you take any other medications on a regular basis, then take them as well

Personal care and cosmetics

Toothpaste / toothbrush
Brush
Wet napkin
Dry wipes
Deodorant
Shampoo/shower gel (assuming that you are not staying at a hotel, where everything is already there)
Shaving stuff
Sanitary pads, tampons
Makeup (girls, try to take minimum makeup, just must have)
Hair bands
Sunscreen
Insects repellent
Manicure accessories
Cotton sponges
Do not take huge packages, try to take samples or find lotions and shampoos in very small packages, in the end, all that stuff can be purchased on the spot if necessary.

Clothes and shoes

There’s definitely something to talk about. I can honestly say I have never worn all the stuff I took with me on a trip. But I learn from my mistakes. And every time I try to take at least one T-shirt less.

Take clothes for the weather, try to take universal things that can be combined with each other. Take only comfortable clothes and shoes, especially if you prefer outdoor activities.

A sample list of what you need to take with you on a trip:

T-shirts (2–3)
Jeans/pants
Shorts/skirt
Long sleeve jacket
Swimsuit
Several sets of underwear
Windbreaker/jacket (not for hot countries)
Sneakers
Flip flops
Several pairs of socks
Summer dress (only for girls)
Dress/shirt with pants (if you’re going to go out)
In General, of course, all this is individual and depends on where and for how long are you going, but remember that there are also shops abroad, and travel light is much more convenient.

What else can you take with you (if necessary):

Umbrella, or better a raincoat it is easier to move with it and it takes less space
Guidebook (although in the age of the Internet it is quite possible to place it in your phone)
Books, personally, I would advise you to bring an e-book or tablet, it will immediately relieve a decent amount of space in the suitcase. And let’s be honest, most of the books that we usually take with us on holiday remain unread.
Threads, needles
Board games
A small knife (don’t put it in your hand baggage)
Sleep mask (a good thing if you expect a night flight)
Earplugs (for the same purpose, and if you live with a neighbor, they can become indispensable)
Sunglasses
The power adapter
Neck pillow (again useful thing for long flights/journeys)
Try to put everything as compact as possible, for sure from the trip you will not return empty-handed, and you will need a space in the suitcase. And do not worry if you forget to take something with you, baggage gets lost sometimes but memories of the trip will stay with you forever.

The author of the article is Natalia Getmanova, copywriter of EasyGuide